


The Knight

by TheJediAssassinGirl



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-25 18:09:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12538076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheJediAssassinGirl/pseuds/TheJediAssassinGirl
Summary: Thalia Skywalker, a seemingly ordinary girl, wakes up in the legendary kingdom of Camelot. Can she live up to the expectations of everyone in the kingdom, or will she fail?





	1. The Lioness

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story I wrote for Creative Writing last year. I took the canon of King Arthur and knowingly fucked it up, so I don't want to hear anyone griping in the comments about it.

Thalia Skywalker woke with a groan. Her head was pounding and her mouth was dry. She looked around her, and saw that she was not in her room, but in a completely unfamiliar one. This room looked old. Like, middle ages old. The roof was made of stone, as were the walls. Thalia tried to sit up, but someone pushed her back down. A man appeared in Thalia’s field of vision. He was very tan, with long, dark brown hair held back by a golden circlet adorned with rubies, a goatee, and brown eyes.   
“Do not try and move,” he said. His voice carried a hint of a Spanish accent. “You are not yet strong enough.”   
“What do you mean?” Thalia asked. “Who are you? Where am I?”  
“You are in Camelot,” the man said.   
“Camelot? You mean the kingdom of King Arthur?”  
“Yes,”  
“Um, ok. Why am I here?”  
“You are the last descendant of King Arthur and Morgan LeFay,”   
“Morgan LeFay? But isn’t she Arthur’s half sister?”  
“No. Guinevere is. She is wed to Mordred, and she is the one who murdered Arthur and his wife,”  
“You’re joking,”   
“I do not jest about these things,”   
“Who are you?”   
“Sir Galahad, Knight of the Round Table,” the man said proudly.   
“How did you know I was descended from Arthur?” Thalia asked.   
“Your mark,” Galahad said. He lifted Thalia’s sleeve, revealing a red lion on her shoulder. “All those descended from the Once and Future King have this mark upon their flesh, marking them as his blood. And you are the only one who can save Camelot.”  
“But I’m just a normal kid!” Thalia protested. “I can’t fight, or do magic, or anything like that!”   
Galahad smiled, a glint in his dark eyes. “You’re one hell of an archer,” he said. “And I’m willing to bet you’re just as good with a crossbow.”  
“How did you know that?” Thalia asked, staring at the knight.   
“The Lady of the Lake told me,” Galahad said. “She brought you here, and led me to you.” Thalia shook her head.   
“This is way too weird to be real,” she said. “I must be dreaming.”   
Galahad laughed. “You are not dreaming,” he said. “Come. Lancelot has asked me to bring you to him as soon as you awoke.” He offered his hand, and Thalia took it. It was warm and rough, scarred by many battles. Galahad smiled at Thalia, and helped her up.   
“What does your circlet mean?” Thalia asked. Galahad touched the gold band with his fingertips.   
“This marks me as a Knight of the Round Table,” he said. “When you reach knighthood, you, too, will receive one.”  
“But how can there be Knights of the Round Table if Arthur is dead?” Thalia asked.   
“Lancelot is king now,” Galahad replied. “It was Arthur’s last wish. Now come with me.” He led Thalia through the winding halls of the castle. At last, the pair arrived in a magnificent room lit with torches and candles. The walls were covered in red and gold tapestries, all emblazoned with a lion like the one on Thalia’s arm. Thalia’s mark tingled and she unconsciously reached up to cover it with her hand. Sitting on the throne was a young man with fair hair and piercing blue eyes. A gold crown encrusted with sapphires rested on his head.   
“Lancelot,” Galahad said. He knelt, and motioned for Thalia to do the same.  
“I have told you, old friend, you need not do that every time you see me,” Lancelot said. “Rise, both of you.” Thalia and Galahad both got to their feet. “Is this the child?” Lancelot asked, looking Thalia up and down.  
“Yes,” Galahad said.  
“Are you sure?” Lancelot said. “I expected more. A boy, perhaps, or at least someone bigger.” Thalia glared at the king.  
“Look, your majesty,” she said, putting sarcastic emphasis on the last two words. “I may not look like much, but I’m all you’ve got!” she tugged her sleeve up, revealing the Mark. “This proves I’m descended from Arthur, so if you don’t want your precious Camelot to be obliterated, I suggest you--” she abruptly stopped as the Mark glowed red and fire appeared in her hand. “What the--” she said. “I didn’t… how did I…?”   
“Morgan LeFay,” Galahad said, smiling. “She was a sorceress. You have her abilities. Just calm down.”  
“Calm down?” Thalia asked. “Why?”  
“Magic follows emotion,” Lancelot said. He was now staring at Thalia. “You got yourself worked up. That’s why you started doing magic. Don’t worry, Merlin can teach you how to control it.”  
“Merlin?” Thalia asked. “He’s still alive?”   
“Oh, yes,” Galahad said. “It would take a lot to kill Merlin.”  
“Galahad, you get to teach the girl how to use a sword,” Lancelot said.   
“She has a name, Lance,” Galahad said. “Thalia Galadriel Skywalker.”  
“Whatever, Galahad,” Lancelot said. “Take her to the armory so she can get weapons.”  
“As you wish,” Galahad said with a slight smirk. “See you later, dear.”  
“You’re gay!” Thalia said as soon as the pair left the throne room. “You and Lancelot are together!” Galahad grinned.  
“Guilty as charged,” he replied. “We got married a couple months ago. Now let’s get you some weapons and armor before dinner. I don’t want Lance to get mad at me.” Thalia grinned and followed Galahad to the armory. “Tobin!” Galahad yelled.   
“Right here!” a voice said. A girl popped up from behind a rack of armor. She had tan skin, brown eyes, and brown hair pulled up into a messy bun. “What can I do for you?”  
“We need weapons and armor for Thalia here.” Galahad said, putting a hand on Thalia’s shoulder. “Thalia, this is Tobin Heath. She’s a squire like you, but she’s also good with metal, so she’s our smith for half a day every day. Tobin, this is Thalia Skywalker, last living descendent of Arthur.”  
“Nice to meet you!” Tobin said. She looked Thalia up and down. “You’ll need some lightweight armor.” she said. “You’re small, and I’m guessing you’re fast, and we don’t want to hinder that. Stay here.” she ran into the back of the armory and came out with a scale mail shirt and pants. “Try these on,” she told Thalia. Thalia did as she was told.   
“Wow,” she said. “This is really light.”  
“Yep!” Tobin said proudly. “I made it for archers. It’s light enough that it won’t interfere with your running, but strong enough to block just about anything. And this is the best part!” she grabbed a hood that Thalia hadn’t noticed and pulled it over the younger girl’s head. “You don’t need to worry about a helmet messing with your vision!” she said. “Now, you needed weapons, right?”  
“Yes,” Galahad said.   
“Follow me,” Tobin said. She led Thalia and Galahad into a back room with more weapons than Thalia had ever seen. Thalia looked at Galahad.   
“What do I need?” she asked.   
“A bow and quiver, a sword, and a knife,” Galahad replied.   
“Take your pick,” Tobin said. “These are some of the finest weapons in Camelot!”  
“Uh, ok,” Thalia said. She picked a black bow and quiver, and a long dagger, then stood and looked at the wall of swords.  
“Take your time,” Galahad said kindly.   
“And don’t be afraid to test them out,” Tobin added. Thalia picked up a beautiful blade and unsheathed it. The entire hilt was shaped like a dragon, with the dragon’s claws grasping the ruby pommel and its wings forming the guard. The red leather sheath was intricately tooled, with gold embellishment.   
“No way,” Tobin said.   
“What?” Thalia asked. “Am I not allowed to have this one?”  
“No, no,” Tobin said. “You can have it, but you also have to have its twin.” she handed Thalia an almost identical sword, except this one had a black gem for a pommel, and a black sheath. “These two swords are the only ones in this armory that I didn’t make.”  
“Then who made them?” Thalia asked.   
“The Lady of the Lake,” Tobin said. “She gave them to me, and told me that only those who are worthy can wield them. Many squires have tried to claim them, only to be burned. The red sword is called Soulblade, and the black one is Shadowfang. The blades will never break, dull, or rust. Use them well.”   
“Thank you,” Thalia said with a slight blush.  
“It is my honor,” Tobin said with a bow. She gave Thalia a million-dollar smile, which only made the younger girl even more flustered.  
“Come on, Thalia,” Galahad said. “I’ll show you where your room is before dinner. Thanks, Tobin!” The pair left the armory. As soon as they were out the door, Galahad turned to his squire and grinned. “You’ve got a crush on Tobin!” he said.   
“I do not!” Thalia protested.   
“Yeah right!” Galahad said. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off her!”  
“I don’t have a crush on anyone!” Thalia said stubbornly.  
“Then explain why you got all flustered when she smiled at you.” Galahad said.  
“Oh, shut up,” Thalia growled.   
The next day, Thalia’s training started. Galahad taught her some basic swordfighting moves, and Thalia caught on pretty quick.  
“Ready for a real opponent?” Galahad asked.  
“I guess,” Thalia replied. Galahad grinned.  
“Tobin, come on over here, would you please?” he called.  
“What?!” Thalia cried.   
“You said you were ready for a real opponent,” Galahad said. “You’ll be fine.” Tobin walked over to the duo.   
“Hey Galahad,” she said. “Hey Thalia. What’s up?” Thalia’s breath hitched. Tobin was wearing a black sleeveless shirt and a pair of loose capri pants. She was sweaty, but her muscles were glistening in the late morning sun and her hair was back up in that oddly attractive half bun.  
“This one needs some practice,” Galahad said, motioning to Thalia. “Could you spar with her please?”  
“Sure thing,” Tobin said, smiling at Thalia. Thalia shot Galahad a nasty look before drawing her swords and facing Tobin. Tobin attacked. Thalia blocked her blows, but Tobin’s quick strikes left no room for Thalia to attack. She felt herself being forced backwards by the force of Tobin’s attacks, until she felt a solid wall behind her. She glanced behind her to make sure there really was no way to escape, and when she looked back at Tobin, those warm brown eyes were only inches from her own. Thalia suddenly found it very difficult to breathe. On the one hand, there was a ridiculously attractive woman very close to her, but on the other hand, the same attractive woman could end her life incredibly easily. Thalia gulped. Tobin moved the tip of her blade closer to Thalia so that it barely touched the teen’s throat.   
“Dead,” she declared, the tiniest of smirks gracing her lips. She then released Thalia and bowed to Galahad before going off to continue practicing on her own. Thalia turned and glared at Galahad.  
“You did that on purpose!” she said. “You knew she’d do that!” Galahad smiled knowingly.   
“Perhaps I did,” he said.   
“You’re just trying to prove your point,” Thalia said. “I do not have a crush on Tobin!”  
“Your body language says otherwise.” Galahad pointed out.   
“Oh, shut up!” Thalia growled.  
“Look, Thalia,” Galahad said, “I was a lot like you once. Just a new squire trying to make it here. I was hopelessly crushing on Lancelot. If it wasn’t for Arthur locking us in a closet together, I would never have known he liked me too. I’m trying to avoid locking you and Tobin in a closet, but you two need to talk to each other, or else I will do it. She was flirting with you back there, you just didn’t notice. Now why don’t you go ask if she can help you practice? Lancelot wanted to see me.” Thalia walked over to where Tobin was, swearing under her breath. Tobin turned and looked at Thalia.   
“May I help you?” she asked.   
“Uh, yeah,” Thalia said, blushing and scratching the back of her neck. “Um, Galahad wanted me to ask you if you could, er, help me practice?” she cursed herself. Idiot. She thought. Why can’t you form a coherent sentence around her? Tobin smiled at Thalia.  
“Sure I can.” she said. She demonstrated some more complex moves on a dummy, and Thalia copied her.   
“No, not like that,” Tobin said gently. She demonstrated the move again, and once again, Thalia copied her. Tobin shook her head. “Here,” she said. She got behind Thalia and grabbed her wrists, moving Thalia’s hands in the correct way. Thalia’s heart skipped a beat, then started going faster. Tobin let go.  
“Now you try on your own,” she said. Thalia did so, and Tobin grinned. “You got it!” she said.   
“I did?” Thalia asked, surprised.   
“Yep!” Tobin said. “Now you get to spar with me again.” Thalia got ready again, and this time she was the one who made the first move. She ran at Tobin and attacked using the move she had just learned. Despite her best efforts, however, she ended up pinned against the wall again. She struggled and tried to push Tobin off, but Tobin was too heavy, and Thalia finally went limp.   
“Ok, fine,” she said. “You got me. What are you gonna do, ‘kill’ me again?” Tobin smirked.   
“First, I’m going to take these,” she said, removing Thalia’s swords from her grasp. “Then, I’m going to do this.” she leaned in and pecked Thalia on the lips. Thalia’s eyes widened. Tobin pulled away.   
“I… uh… gottagoMerlin!” Thalia stammered. She ran off to the tower that Galahad had pointed out as being Merlin’s. She climbed the spiral steps of the tower until she came to a dark oak door with a brass knocker blocking her path. She reached up hesitantly, then knocked.  
“Come in!” a voice said from inside. Thalia did as she was told, and stepped inside. The room was chaos. Scrolls, amulets, staffs, and robes lay strewn around, and the walls were covered in scorch marks. It was like an exploding tornado had torn through the tower. In the middle of it all stood a man. He was dressed in celestial blue robes edged with gold. His long hair and beard were pure white, and he was stooped with age, but there was still some dignity about him. He carried a twisted staff, a glowing blue gem contained in its top. He stared at Thalia intensely.   
“You’re from Arthur’s line,” he said.  
“So I’ve been told,” Thalia replied.   
“Probably just as stupid and reckless as he was,” the old wizard grumbled. “Hopefully LeFay got her good sense into the bloodline. The name’s Merlin.”  
“Thalia,” Thalia said.   
“I know,” Merlin said. “Fire.”  
“What?” Thalia asked.   
“Fire, girl!” Merlin said. “Make fire!”  
“How?” Thalia asked.   
“Oh Hecate!” Merlin swore. “Lancelot didn’t tell me I’d have to start with the beginner course!”  
“Well I’m sorry!” Thalia shot back defensively. “I didn’t even know I could do this stuff until yesterday!” Merlin sighed. He waved his hand and a wooden board appeared, suspended in the air. He waved his hand again, and a comfortable chair appeared behind Thalia.   
“Sit,” he said. Thalia sat. “First lesson,” Merlin said, “magic follows emotion.” he wrote this on the board with his staff, and it appeared in large, glowing letters.   
“Lancelot told me that last night,” Thalia remembered. “I got mad at him for underestimating me, and my mark glowed and fire appeared in my hand.” Merlin nodded.  
“Any emotion can be used for magic,” he said. “But beware of using anger, hate, and fear. Nothing good will come of it.” Thalia nodded  
“So how do I actually do magic?” she asked.   
“I’m getting to that, child!” Merlin snapped. “Lord almighty, you’re just as impatient as Arthur!”  
“Sorry,” Thalia said.   
“To do magic, you must envision what you want to achieve,” Merlin said. “Now, try to summon fire.” Thalia closed her eyes and concentrated, holding her hand out. A tiny flame flickered to life in her palm. “Good.” Merlin said. “Now make it bigger.”   
“Bigger?” Thalia asked. “How?” Merlin put his head in his hands.  
“Emotion, child! Magic follows emotion!” he said impatiently. “Find a good emotion and channel it.” Thalia racked her brain, trying to find a happy emotion. An image of Tobin popped up, and the flame got stronger. “Love,” Merlin said. “The strongest emotion. Maybe you aren’t as thickheaded as Arthur was after all. The lesson is over. Come back tomorrow.” Thalia nodded, and went back to her room. She took down a book from the shelf, then sat down on the comfortable bed and started reading. Soon, there was a knock on the door.   
“Come in!” Thalia called. Tobin stepped into the room.   
“You ran off without taking your swords,” she said, handing the weapons over.   
“Oh,” Thalia said. “Thank you.”   
“You’re welcome,” Tobin said. “Also, I’m sorry if I offended you. I should have controlled myself. I love you, but if you want to wait, I’ll wait for you.”  
“You didn’t offend me,” Thalia said. “I… I just didn’t know how to react.” She looked up at Tobin. “I love you too,” she said.   
“You do?” Tobin asked.   
“Yes.” Thalia replied.   
“Is it alright if I kiss you?” Tobin asked.   
“Yes.” Thalia said. Tobin leaned in, and their lips met. After a few moments, Tobin smiled and pulled away.  
“Tell me about yourself.” she said.   
“Well, I don’t know how I got here,” Thalia said. “My parents got killed by a bunch of thugs, and I ran away. I found this weird cave, and fell asleep in there, and when I woke up, I was here.”   
“That’s odd,” Tobin said. “Did you see what the thugs looked like?”   
“Yeah,” Thalia replied. “It was a group of maybe five or so, and all of them had really pale skin. The leaders were a man and a woman. The man had really short black hair and a tiny goatee. The woman had long platinum blonde hair. They both had blue eyes.”   
“Mordred and Guinevere,” Tobin said. “Or their descendants, at least. They probably knew you were descended from Arthur, so they wanted to get rid of you. And I bet the Lady of the Lake had something to do with that cave you found.”  
“Who is the Lady of the Lake?” Thalia asked.   
“No one knows,” Tobin replied. “We just know she live in a lake and she’s really powerful. She gave Arthur Excalibur, and she gave me your swords, so we know she’s capable of making powerful magical weapons. I personally think she’s a water spirit, but no one knows for sure. But one thing is for sure: she chose you, and she did so for a reason.” She smiled at Thalia. “Who knows? Maybe she meant for us to be together.”  
* * *  
Months passed, and Thalia and Tobin grew closer. Tobin was knighted, and Thalia improved as a swordfighter. Galahad and Lancelot became like fathers to Thalia, and Merlin taught her in the ways of sorcery. One morning, Thalia went to the training ground as usual, but when she got there, Galahad wasn’t there. Instead, Tobin was standing by the dummies.   
“Tobin?” Thalia asked. “Why are you training me today? Where’s Galahad?”  
“He and Lancelot went on a quest,” Tobin said. “He asked me to train you until they got back.”   
“A quest for what?” Thalia asked.   
“The Holy Grail,” Tobin replied. “Apparently it’s really important.”  
“Oh,” Thalia said. Galahad and Lancelot were gone for a week, and Thalia took to sitting in the watchtower by Camelot’s main gate in her spare time. Tobin would often join her in the tower, and bring her little trinkets to cheer her up. One day, Thalia spotted a horse in the distance. She eagerly ran down to the gate, but as the horseman drew closer, she got the feeling that something wasn’t right. Lancelot rode up to the gate alone.   
“Lancelot!” Thalia cried, hugging Lancelot as he dismounted. “Is everything alright? Did you find the Grail? Where’s Galahad?” Lancelot reached into his saddlebags and brought out a golden circlet adorned with rubies. Thalia gasped. She had learned from Galahad that a knight of the round table never took off his or her circlet unless they were sleeping or dead. “He… he isn’t…” she said uncertainly, already knowing the answer but not wanting to say it.  
“I’m sorry, Thalia,” Lancelot said. “He sacrificed himself so that I could live. He told me you were ready to take the Tests, and that when you were knighted, that you should receive his circlet. I’m so sorry.” Tears ran down Thalia’s face. Lancelot wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest.   
“Did you at least find the Grail?” Thalia asked.   
“We did, but unfortunately, Mordred and Guinevere found it first,” Lancelot said. “It was a trap. We were captured, and he distracted Mordred so that I could escape. He was a brave man and he died an honorable death.” Thalia nodded, then ran and found Tobin. She flung her arms around her girlfriend, sobbing loudly.   
“What is it, Thalia?” Tobin asked. “What’s wrong?”  
“He--he didn’t make it!” Thalia cried. “He’s gone!”  
“Who’s gone?” Tobin asked, confused.   
“Galahad!” Thalia sobbed. “He sacrificed himself for Lancelot! He’s dead!”  
“Oh Thalia,” Tobin said, gently rubbing her girlfriend’s back. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know how much he meant to you. But I do know that he’s watching you from above, and he’ll be proud of you no matter what. So take the Tests. Become the best knight you can be. For him.”  
“You’re right,” Thalia said, rubbing her eyes.  
“The Tests will be on Sunday,” Tobin said. “They always are. I’ll help you prepare tomorrow. Rest today.” Thalia nodded and buried her face in a pillow. She fell asleep almost instantly. Tobin smiled and tucked her in, then hitched up her horse and rode into town to see if she could find something from the traveling market to cheer Thalia up. She returned later with a large bar of chocolate and a small gold statue of a dragon, which helped a little.  
The week flew by, and Sunday came. Thalia passed her tests with flying colors and knelt at Lancelot’s feet to be knighted.   
“Thalia Galadriel Skywalker, do you swear to protect this kingdom of Camelot and all living within it?” Lancelot asked.   
“I do,” Thalia said. Lancelot touched her shoulders with the very tip of his sword, and Thalia belatedly realized that it was not Excalibur that he held, but Galahad’s sword. Lancelot caught her gaze, and smiled. He placed Galahad’s circlet on her head.   
“Rise, Sir Thalia the Lionhearted, most loyal of all the knights,” he said. Thalia stood and looked out over the crowd of people that had gathered to watch the ceremony. She could not be sure what exactly the future held, but she knew one thing: she would avenge Galahad’s death. She would free Camelot.


	2. Capture

Thalia sat on a bluff overlooking Camelot. The wind snatched at her clothing and her long hair, blowing it every which way.

“I thought I’d find you up here,” a voice said. Thalia turned to see Lancelot standing behind her, his cloak billowing.

“Your majesty,” Thalia said, kneeling.

“You don’t have to do that, Thalia,” Lancelot said with a smile. “You’re honestly just as bad as Galahad was.” He sat down, and motioned for Thalia to do the same.

“What are you doing up here?” he asked.

“Thinking,” Thalia said.

“That’s dangerous,” Lancelot said. Thalia looked at him, thinking that this was another one of his jokes, but Lancelot’s face was serious.

“How so?” she asked.

“It’s not good for a person to be alone with their thoughts,” Lancelot replied. “That’s one of the things Merlin taught me and Arthur. If you spend too much time thinking, your thoughts will destroy you.”

“How do you make sure they don’t destroy you?” Thalia asked.

“Train,” Lancelot suggested. “There’s always room for improvement. Or you can spend time with someone you love. Or you can talk about it.”

“I miss Galahad,” Thalia admitted. “It’s just not the same without him. And I don’t even know how he died.”

“I can tell you, if you wish,” Lancelot said.

“Are you sure it isn’t too painful for you?” Thalia asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Lancelot assured her. “Besides, you have a right to know.” He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let the memory wash over him.

***

_Lancelot and Galahad stand before a dark stone castle. Despite its foreboding appearance, the castle glows from within, illuminating the faces of the two knights._

_“This is it, my love,” Lancelot says, giving Galahad’s hand a squeeze. “The Grail will give us God’s strength, and we’ll be able to take back our kingdom.” Galahad looks uncertain._

_“I’m not sure about this, Lance,” he says. “Something doesn’t feel right.”_

_“Nonsense!” Lancelot replies,“I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong.” He starts towards the castle._

_“Lancelot, no!” Galahad says, grabbing Lancelot’s arm and turning the king to face him. “Listen to me!” he begs. “Something’s not right. Trust me, Lancelot!”_

_“Come on, Galahad,” Lancelot says. “We’ll be fine! We have the best armor in Camelot, not to mention the holy sword Excalibur. What could possibly go wrong?”_

_“Don’t say that!” Galahad hisses. “You’ll jinx it!” Lancelot rolls his eyes and pulls his arm free from Galahad’s grasp._

_“You Spaniards and your superstitions,” he says. Galahad glares at him. “At least we don’t go running headlong into danger like you Englishmen!” he growls. Lancelot glares right back at him._

_“I’m going in,” he says. “You’re welcome to join me if you can overcome your cowardice.” He stalks off towards the castle. Galahad stands frozen as Lancelot goes through the huge dark oak doors. Moments later, he hears a man’s cry of pain._

_“Lancelot!” Galahad yells. He runs into the castle, sword drawn and shield raised, ready for whatever awaits. He bursts through the doors and sees the Grail on a pedestal, flanked by Mordred and Guinevere. He lifts his shield to cover his face just in time as a crossbow bolt hits the metal with a dull thud. He darts behind a pillar, where Lancelot lies, a bolt in his shoulder and an expression of pain on his face._

_“Galahad!” the wounded king exclaims, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You were right. I should have listened. I was a bloody fool, and now I’ve gotten us into this mess.”_

_“Hold still,” Galahad says. He grasps the bolt in Lancelot’s shoulder with both hands and plants one foot on the chestplate of his husband’s armor. With a tug and a cry of pain from Lancelot, the bolt comes free. Galahad takes a flask of enchanted water from his hip and places a few drops on Lancelot’s shoulder. Immediately, the wound closes._

_“Shut up, you big baby,” Galahad says, gently kissing Lancelot’s forehead. Lancelot sighs._

_“We’re screwed,” he says._

_“We have two choices: either we surrender and get captured, leaving Camelot without a king, or we run for it and get killed, leaving Camelot without a king.” Galahad is silent for a moment._

_“Or one of us could distract Guinevere and Mordred while the other one runs for it,” he says, “leaving Camelot with a capable leader.” Lancelot’s eyes widen._

_“No!” he says. “No, I won’t let you!”_

_“My mind's made up, Lance,” Galahad says. He takes off his circlet and hands it to Lancelot. “Thalia is ready to take the Tests,” he says. “When she is knighted, give her my circlet. And have faith in her. She may not look like much, but she will be the one to save Camelot.” He unbuckles his sword and the flask of enchanted water and hands them to Lancelot. Lancelot secures them all on his belt, then hugs Galahad tightly._

_“I wish you didn’t have to do this,” he says._

_“Me too.” Galahad replies. “I’ll see you later, Lance.” He kisses Lancelot, and runs out into the line of fire._

_“Go!” he yells. Lancelot obeys. He runs far away, tears streaming down his face as the bolts pierce Galahad’s body._

***

“It’s my fault,” Lancelot said when he finished speaking. “I should have listened. He was right, and now he’s dead.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Thalia said. “Yes, what you did was wrong, and yes, it led to Galahad’s death, but it wasn’t entirely your fault. Galahad made a decision to go in and help you when he could have easily run away. He chose to make the ultimate sacrifice to save you and Camelot.” Lancelot sighed.

“I guess you’re right,” he conceded. He smiled at Thalia.

“He would be proud of you,” he said. “You’ve come a long way from that scared little girl I saw in the throne room.”

“He is proud of me,” Thalia replied. “I can feel it.”

“Go spend time with Tobin,” Lancelot said. “Go to the festival in town. Have a good time.”

“One more thing,” Thalia said.

“Yes, child?” Lancelot replied.

“Can you tell me about Arthur?” Thalia asked. Lancelot smiled.

“Yes, of course,” he said. “Arthur Pendragon was the bravest man I know. He was reckless, but brave. He had shoulder-length blonde hair, and green eyes like yours. He was a kind and fair ruler, and one of the best swordsmen in Camelot. The only flaw of his that I can think of is that he put others before himself, even if it meant putting himself in harm’s way. That combined with his recklessness got him into some sticky situations, which Galahad and I then had to get him out of.” He chuckled. “The three of us were inseparable. We stood by his side through thick and thin, even when he asked Morgan LeFay out for the first time, and she hexed him so his knees were on back to front.” He looked at Thalia. “You have LeFay’s looks, but I can definitely see Arthur in you,” he said. Thalia smiled.

“Thank you, Lancelot,” she said. “Thank you for everything.”

“You’re welcome,” Lancelot replied with a smile. Thalia went to Tobin’s forge, where she knew her girlfriend spent her afternoons.

“Tobin?” she called.

“Back here!” Tobin’s voice responded from the back. Thalia walked past the rows of weapons and racks of armor until she found Tobin kneeling by the forge.

“Hey, babe,” Tobin said, standing up to give Thalia a quick peck on the lips.

“Hey Toby,” Thalia replied.

“You’re just in time,” Tobin said. “The forge went out. Can you relight it?” Thalia laughed.

“Is that all I’m good for?” she asked. Tobin went behind Thalia and wrapped her arms around the smaller knight’s waist.

“No,” she replied, “but it is one of the perks of dating you.” Thalia smiled, and crouched down. Bringing her hand up to the opening of the forge, she shot a jet of flame from her palm, igniting the wood that Tobin had carefully placed at the bottom. She then brought the flames down so they burned slowly, reducing the wood to an even bed of charcoal.

“It’s all yours,” she said.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Tobin said. She selected a bar of steel from the shelves, and started heating it. Thalia sat down on a stool beside the forge and allowed herself to become lost in thought.

“Thalia. Thalia. Thalia!” Tobin’s voice brought Thalia out of her mind.

“Huh?” Thalia asked.

“Can you give me a little more heat?” Tobin asked.

“Yeah,” Thalia said. She shot some more flames into the forge.

“What’s wrong?” Tobin asked, concern in her warm brown eyes.

“Nothing,” Thalia lied.

“I know you better than that, Thalia Skywalker.” Tobin took the metal out of the forge and moved it to the anvil, striking it with a hammer. “What’s _really_ wrong with you?” Thalia rubbed her eyes.

“I don’t know. There’s just so much going on.”

“Like what?”

“Everything. You guys have some serious problems. Galahad’s dead, and some bloody smart crazy lady is trying to take over the kingdom. And I’m supposed to be able to fix it.”

“Oh honey,” Tobin said sympathetically, “no one’s expecting you to fix this by yourself. You’ll have the support of Camelot’s army.”

“Yeah, but I’ve heard Guinevere can talk people into coming to her side. The odds are seriously against us.”

“Never tell me the odds,” Tobin said seriously. “We’ll find a way to defeat her. I promise.” She returned the blade to the forge and heated it again.

“Hey, do you think you can make a handle and pommel for this sword?” she asked.

“Sure,” Thalia replied. “What’s the blade gonna look like? And who’s it for?”

“It’s for the daughter of one of the other knights. The blade sketch is on the wall, including her measurements.”

“Alright,” Thalia said. She took a chunk of rose quartz from Tobin’s pommel shelf, then went over to the metal table, where she heated the quartz with fire from her hand until it melted. Then, concentrating intensely, she formed the liquid quartz into the shape of a rose and quenched it into a bucket of cold water. When she took it out, the quartz had held its shape beautifully. Each petal was a beautiful pink color, and the innermost petals were gold. As she selected a block of rosewood for the handle, Lancelot strode into the room.

“Thalia. Tobin,” he said.

“Your majesty,” Tobin said respectfully.

“You two are needed in the war room immediately,” Lancelot said.

“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” Tobin said. The pair hurried to Tobin’s room, which they now shared, and pulled on their best tunics and pants. They grabbed their swords, then Thalia followed Tobin to the war room. Inside the room was a large round oak table, a smaller version of the famous one in the great hall. A map of Camelot hung on the wall, and another map lay on the floor. There were shelves containing figurines in all colors, each one representing a different part of whatever army Camelot may face. Lancelot was seated in the throne closest to the wall map, and every seat was filled except for two.

“Quick question before we start, if I may, Lancelot,” a knight with sleek red hair said as Thalia and Tobin took their seats.

“Sir Kay,” Tobin whispered in Thalia’s ear. “Arthur’s stepbrother. He’s kind of a jerk. It’s best to ignore him.”

“What is it, Kay?” Lancelot asked.

“When did the war room become a daycare?” Kay asked.

“It never has been, Kay, and it never will be,” Lancelot said sternly.

“Kay, I fail to see how this is relevant,” an older knight sitting to the right of Lancelot said.

“Oh, it’s not relevant to the conversation at all, Bedivere,” Kay said. “I was just wondering why there’s a kid in here.” Lancelot sighed.

“Kay, we have been over this. Tobin is a Knight of the Round Table just as much as you are.”

“I’m not talking about Tobin. I’m talking about the tiny one,” Thalia leapt to her feet.

“You take that back,” she hissed.

“Make me,” Kay said with a smirk.

“I’ll best you and anyone else who wants to challenge me in a duel,” Thalia declared.

“I’d take you up on that offer, but unfortunately there are no duels in the war room unless the king permits it,” Kay said lazily, picking at his fingernails. Thalia looked at Lancelot, who sighed.

“Make it quick,” he said. Thalia tied her knee-length braid up so it wouldn’t get in the way of her fighting, and drew her two swords.

“Come on, then,” she said. “unless you’re too scared to face me.” Kay tied his hair back into a ponytail and borrowed Bedivere’s sword so the two would be equally matched. All eyes were on the two combatants.

“Fight!” Lancelot called. Thalia struck with a flurry of quick, hard blows. Kay had no choice but to stay on the defensive as Thalia pushed him back. With a clever twist of Soulblade, Kay’s sword went flying across the room. Thalia pinned Kay against the wall, placing the tip of Shadowfang under his chin.

“I could remove your head as easily as plucking an apple from a tree,” she said before releasing him. She sheathed her swords, and took her seat at the table, leaving Kay stunned.

“Take your seat, sir Kay,” Lancelot said sternly. “There are important matters to attend to.” Swearing under his breath, Kay took his seat and returned Bedivere’s sword. Lancelot gave Thalia a smile and a wink before selecting several red figurines from the shelf and positioning them at Cliffgarde, a town to the north of the castle of Camelot.

“Guinevere and Mordred have invaded this town,” He said. “Our reports tell us that she has sent fifty infantry, fifty cavalry, thirty archers, and twenty spellcasters. She seems bent on capturing more territory. The question is, how do we respond?”

“Send our entire army!” Kay growled. “We cannot risk her reign spreading any further.”

“That’s a fool’s mission!” Bedivere countered. “We do not need our entire force to defeat one hundred and fifty men. Besides, by the time we get our army organized and to Cliffgarde, her men will have moved on.”

“Thalia,” Lancelot said, noticed the youngest knight deep in thought. “What do you have to say?”

“Don’t send the entire army,” Thalia said. “Send two knights ahead to scout. Then send two hundred men once the two knights give the all clear.”

“We shall put it to a vote,” Lancelot declared.

“All in favor of Kay’s plan?” Three hands out of the twenty went up.

“All in favor of Thalia’s?” Lancelot said. The remaining seventeen hands went up.

“It is decided,” Lancelot declared. “Who volunteers to go to Cliffgarde?” Silence fell. Then Thalia spoke.

“I will go.”

“Not if I can help it,” Lancelot replied. “It’s too risky.”

“No one else wishes to go,” Thalia countered.

“I will go with Thalia,” Tobin said. Lancelot looked around.

“Are there no other volunteers?” he asked. No hands went up.

“Very well,” he said. “You two may go. But be careful!”

“Yes, sir,” Tobin and Thalia said. Lancelot dismissed the knights, and Thalia and Tobin went to start packing for their journey. As they finished, a knock sounded on their door.

“Come in!” Thalia said. Lancelot entered, carrying two glowing crystal points on leather cords.

“Here,” he said, handing the necklaces to Thalia and Tobin. “I had Merlin make these for me. They’ll let me know if you are captured or killed if you can’t get a message to me.”

“Thanks, Lancelot,” Thalia said, putting the leather cord around her neck.

“Could I talk to you outside, Thalia?” Lancelot asked. “Sure.” Thalia said. Lancelot led her out into the hallway.

“I don’t want you going on this mission,” he stated. Thalia crossed her arms.

“Why not?” she demanded. “I’m ready for it!”

“No, you aren’t,” Lancelot said. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Then tell me.” Thalia said.

“Guinevere holds the real power,” Lancelot said. “She’s the dangerous one. Mordred is only there to lead the military.”

“Is Guinevere a sorceress?” Thalia asked.

“No,” Lancelot replied, “but she is a sweet-talker. I’ve seen many a knight turn his back on friends and allies simply because she persuaded him to do so. The only reason I’m not one of those knights is because I’m gay.” Thalia laughed, and Lancelot gave a small chuckle before becoming serious again. “You must be careful, though,” he warned. “She may look like she is all frills and lace, but she knows her way around a sword. Many of the men she couldn’t seduce ended up dying by her hand. And take care not to be captured by her. She knows her enemies very well and has dungeons and restraints built especially for them.”

“What do you mean?” Thalia asked.

“Well, say one of her enemies was a pyromancer,” Lancelot said. “His dungeon would contain nothing flammable, and be kept at a very cold temperature, making it harder for him to summon fire. His restraints would cover his hands so he couldn’t use his fire to get out of his cuffs, and he would most likely be suspended over water.” Thalia shuddered.

“That sounds awful,” she said.

“It is,” Lancelot said. “Those who are captured by Guinevere are rarely seen again.”

“Have you been captured by her?” Thalia asked.

“Once.” Lancelot pointed to the scars on his cheek. “She gave me these.”

“How did you get out?”

“Arthur and Galahad. They disguised themselves as guards and saved my ass. Just in time, too. She was getting annoyed with my unwillingness to talk.”

“How did she restrain you?” Thalia’s eyes were wide.

“Well, I was hanging on the wall. Everything was seamless, including the door, which was about a foot thick. I had cuffs on my wrists and my biceps, and my ankles and my calves. The cuffs on my biceps and my calves had tiny needles in them, and she coated those needles in poison every day.”

“What did the poison do?”

“Targeted my muscles. My arms and legs were useless for about a week after I got out of there, even once Merlin was able to bend all the poison out.”

“So what should I do if I’m in that position?” Thalia asked. Lancelot fixed his piercing blue eyes on Thalia’s bright green ones.

“Don’t put yourself in a position that could lead to your capture,” he said. “I don’t care who’s in danger, or whether or not you think you can save them. If you see Guinevere in the vicinity, retreat. She most definitely knows of you, knows who you are, and knows what you’re capable of. She’s probably already got a cell waiting for you in her dungeon.” Again, Thalia shuddered as she thought about what horrors lay in wait for her in Guinevere’s castle. Lancelot noticed.

“Are you sure you still want to do this?” he asked.

“Yes,” Thalia decided. “I signed up for this. I’m not backing out.” Lancelot cursed.

“You’re just as reckless as Arthur.”

“I really wish people would stop comparing me to Arthur!” Thalia snapped. “I’m not him, I’m me. I’m more than my lineage.”

“That may be so, but I don’t want you to suffer his fate.” Lancelot said. Thalia drew herself up to her full height, which wasn’t considerable, but it enabled her to look Lancelot in the eyes.

“I’m not backing down.” she said. “Thank you for your concern, your majesty, but I’m going.” Lancelot sighed.

“Just be careful, okay?” he said. “I promised Galahad I wouldn’t let you die, and I’m not about to break that promise.” he followed her back into the room.

“Please keep her safe, Tobin,” Lancelot said.

“Yes, your majesty,” Tobin said.

“Do you have everything you need?” Lancelot asked.

“Yes,” Thalia replied.

“Then go,” Lancelot said. “It is a long ride to Cliffgarde.” He hugged both of them, and left. Thalia and Tobin went to the stables, where their horses were already saddled and waiting. They rode for two days, stopping at inns along the way before reaching Cliffgarde. Donning hooded cloaks to hide their shining circlets, they booked two rooms at the inn.

“What’re you doin’ here?” the innkeeper demanded suspiciously.

“Just a couple a’ travelers passin’ through.” Thalia said with the rough accent common in the countryside of Camelot.

“Names?” the innkeeper asked, trying to peer under their hoods.

“M’name’s Crystal,” Thalia said, “and this here’s my cousin, Hope.”

“How long ya stayin’?”

“A week.” “Seems a bit long for a couple travelers.”

“We gotta restock our supplies. You gonna rent us a room or not? I’m sure we can find somewhere else.”

“Fine. Price is twenty.” Thalia slapped the money down on the counter, and the innkeeper gave them the key to their room.

“That was amazing!” Tobin said once they were safely inside. “How did you come up with all that on the spot?”

“Back in my old life, I did theater a lot.” Thalia said. “It taught me how to lie very convincingly.” She yawned. “We’d better turn in. We can start scouting tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Tobin said. The pair got changed and curled up in bed together. In the middle of the night, Tobin sat bolt upright. Thalia opened her eyes and blinked sleepily

“Whassamatter?” she asked groggily.

“Someone’s at the door.”

“Probably jus’ your imagination. Go back to sleep,” Thalia laid her head down on the pillow. Tobin elbowed her in the rib.

“Ow!” Thalia complained. “Was that really necessary?!”

“Shut up and listen!” Tobin hissed. “I’m telling you, there’s someone at the door!” Thalia listened intently. Sure enough, she heard scratching at the door. She reached for the knife on her bedside table. As she did so, four men in black robes burst into the room. On their chests, the silver hemlock leaf that was Guinevere’s symbol gleamed. With one movement of the leader’s hand, Tobin stiffened.

“Thalia!” she said urgently. “I can’t move my arms or legs!” Thalia growled, and balls of fire appeared in her hands.

“Let her go!” she hissed.

“We’re just travelers!”

“You can’t fool us, Thalia Skywalker,” the lead magician said. “We’re under orders to capture you. Surrender now, and we can do it the easy way.”

“Never!” Thalia snarled.

“So be it,” the leader declared. He nodded to two of his fellow spellcasters, who opened waterskins hanging from their belts and drew a green liquid from them. Breaking the liquid into mist, they pushed it towards the two knights, then pulled their robes up over their noses and mouths. As the gas drifted towards Thalia, she began to feel sleepy, then everything faded to black.


End file.
